Coffin vs Casket – What Is the Difference Between Them?

While society uses caskets and coffins for the same purpose, a coffin vs casket debate will show some differences. Choosing a coffin or casket for a loved one is a personal choice, but you should understand the key differences between the two. You can tell the difference between caskets and coffins if you pay attention to their main characteristics. A coffin usually has six sides, a top, and bottom. Meanwhile, caskets have four sides with a top and a bottom. You can see coffins instead of caskets in almost all old movies. The United States residents primarily use caskets. Still, coffins are more popular in foreign countries.

Coffin vs Casket – Which One Should You Choose?

What Distinguishes the Coffin: Features

You can define a coffin as a place where the remains of a person will be placed for either burial or cremation. Coffins in North America were made in an octagonal or hexagonal shape. Most often it will have an anthropoid shape, but children’s coffins will have the most anthropoid shape.

Sometimes the lip will have a solid construction, and other times, it will have hinges near the side for the purpose of viewing. Other times, you will see fittings like handles or decorations on the exterior. This has the name of coffin furniture. Many times, one can use this to determine the date of construction and how much money the person had. You can customize a coffin to say a lot about an individual.

Many times when people think coffin vs casket, the terms will have interchangeable usage. Originally, casket meant a box that held jewelry and treasures. While the coffin fell out of use in North America, some people do still choose it. People have sometimes viewed the traditional coffin as too gloomy to watch, which is why they replaced it with the casket. The shape of coffins resemble the body more, and they will often have a wider shape toward the top because of the shoulders.

Gradually, it decreases in width as you make your way toward the feet. Some people have chosen coffins because it saves on wood for construction, and it costs less than a casket. When it comes to the coffin vs casket debate, you can customize it with engravements, jewels, and even pockets to keep the pictures and special belongings of a loved one. The shape stands out as the key difference between the two, but caskets still sometimes refer to a jewelry box.

What Distinguishes the Casket: Features

The casket has become a highly personal choice over the years, and every person should understand the unique value of each of these items. Caskets will normally fall into two categories: metal or wood. Every casket will exhibit unique characteristics. For example, a premium metal casket might look more like stainless steel. Meanwhile, bronze and copper caskets have a more elegant appearance. Also, these materials will have superior resistance to problems like rust and other problems.

A casket that consists of carbon steel will have exceptional value and beauty. People first used caskets because they look less like the shape of a body, so it made the process of grieving easier. Losing a loved one can be hard enough without that burden.

In general, you will see that more affordable caskets have a simpler shape, or they include square corners and an understated finish. Another area that adds cost to a casket will depend on the fabric inside. A premium casket will have a heavier velvet and tailoring that exhibits a sense of luxury and elegance. The price, however, will also reflect this. The more standard caskets incorporate crepe for both affordability and beauty.

The display of a loved one in a casket appears more like a bed, and through the embalming practice, it makes the deceased look like they have gone into a deep sleep. The term casket was often thought of as a kinder term. In the Oxford English Dictionary, the sense of casket changed in viewpoint. Casket, which once meant to hold a jewel, soon meant the jewel to be a treasured loved one who was loved beyond measure. In truth with coffin vs casket, the differences between the two are minimal. The biggest difference, however, is how caskets are thought to help with the grieving process better than coffins.

Coffin vs Casket: Making the Right Choice

Coffins fell out of use because caskets helped people with mourning. Your choice for your loved one will be a personal one. You might choose a coffin because of its easy customization. Nevertheless, you can tailor both to fit the interests of your loved one. For example, if they loved cars, you might bury them in a coffin shaped like a car.

Sometimes a loved one will choose to be buried in a cardboard coffin as a commitment to the environment. These are also much cheaper in terms of cost. Besides cardboard, sometimes a family incorporates a burial shroud. This consists of a board where the body gets laid, and the body will be wrapped in soft or woven wool. Coffins will normally cost less than a casket so that people can keep the costs down.

Putting It All Together

A funeral stresses all who attend it, but it helps when you don’t have to worry about the costs coming up later. Taking the time to grieve the loss of a loved one is important for the healing process. You can also ask for special scents to be used like flowers, balms or other natural materials. Whether you choose a casket or a coffin, the most important thing will be something that eases your mourning.

After the loss of a loved one, taking time for yourself to heal becomes essential. Choosing between coffin vs casket will be a minor inconvenience on the road to healing. As stated, the difference between coffin vs casket basically boils down to shape. If you have a loved one already having a hard time with the loss, a casket can go a long way to ease their suffering. We invite our readers to make a choice that fits their own personal needs. Maybe your loved one had a personal request, and honoring their wishes can go a long way in helping you through the loss.